Guyana’s fresh waters are bursting with fishes. Often called the “Land of Many Waters” or the “Big River Country” Guyana’s rivers are still unspoilt as it awaits your first cast. Sport Fishing is a new area of tourism attraction in Guyana with many unchartered river terrains virgin to man. There are essentially two fresh water fishing seasons in the country; the first fishing season starts from mid February to late April, while the second season begins from late August till late November. During this time, the rains would have stopped and the water receded from the savannas and forest floors. By the middle of the dry season, the rivers usually become narrow as the water recedes. This makes fishing more exciting as less water means less space per fish and more competition to feed and to survive predators of the river.
Rapidly becoming one of the hottest Sport Fishing Destination’s in South America, Guyana was featured on river monsters with host Jeremy Wade ending season 4 in Guyana. During that episode he called the Araparima he caught (and subsequently released), the biggest fish of his South American fishing career!
Boasting nearly 2,000 species of fish in the Amazon River, Guyana is a paradise for incredible fishing. Species include the Arapaima (not for trapping), Piraiba/Lau Lau, Peacock Bass (considered to be the most popular Fresh Water Game Fish in the world by professional anglers worldwide), Golden Dorado, Payara, Redtail Catfish, Jau Catfish, Flat Whisker Catfish, Surubim, Sunfish, Himara, Arawana, Sword Fish, to name a few.
Game fish species in Guyana
Guyana shares with the Amazon River over 1800 fish species. Among those are several Game Fish Species such as the Payara, Arowana, Himara, and what is considered by professional anglers worldwide as the worlds most popular Fresh Water Game Fish, the Peacock Bass (Lukanani). Can you reel a thirty pound bass? Let’s find out next fish season! The country’s prime fishing locations are up the Essequibo River and along its tributaries below river rapids and water falls such as Rockstone and the Gluck Island, the New River Area, Kurupukari River and the Rupununi Burro Burro River.
